Indians Refuse Higher Education
On June 17,1744, the officials from Maryland and Virginia held a talk with the Indians of the Six Nations． The Indians were invited to send boys to William and Mary College． In letter the next day they refused the offer as follows:
We know that you have a high opinion of the kind of learning taught in your colleges, and that the costs of living of our young men, while with you, would be very expensive to you． We are certain that you mean to do us good by your suggestion; and we thank you heartily． But you must know that different nations have different ways of looking at things, and you will therefore not be displeased if our ideas of this kind of education happen not to be the same as yours． We have had some experience of it． Several of our young people were formerly brought up at the colleges of the northern provinces:
They were taught all your sciences; but, when they came back to us, they were bad manners, and they knew little of every means of living in the woods．．． they were totally good for nothing．
We are, however, not the less obliged for your kind offer, though we refuse to accept it; and, to show our grateful sense of it, if the gentlemen of Virginia will send us a dozen of their sons, we will take care of their education, teach them in all we know, and make men of them．
59．The passage is about _______．
A．the talk between the Indians and the officials
B．the colleges of the northern provinces
C．the educational values of the Indians
D．the problems of the Americans in the mid-eighteenth century
60．The Indians’ chief purpose in writing the letter seems to be to______．
A．politely refuse a friendly offer
B．express their opinions on equal treatment
C．show their pride
D．describe Indian customs
61．Different from the officials’ view of education, the Indians thought______．
A．young women should also be educated
B．they had different objects of education
C．they taught different branches of science
D．they should teach the sons of the officials first
62．The mood of the letter as a whole is best described as ______．
A．angry B．polite C．pleasant D．inquiring
